site.btaFour Arrested in BGN 1.8 Mln Duty-Free Cigarette Smuggling Operation in Plovdiv

Cigarettes without duty stamps valued at BGN 1.8 million were seized during a raid in Plovdiv, Plovdiv regional prosecutor Petar Petrov, deputy regional prosecutor and supervising pre-trial proceedings Dimitar Pehlivanov, and chief inspector Ivan Ivanov, head of the Directorate General for Combating Organized Crime, said at a joint news briefing here on Thursday.

Four men, including two Bulgarians, a Slovak, and a Ukrainian, have been detained and charged with possession of excise goods without duty stamps, intended for distribution. The unpaid excise duty on the confiscated cigarettes is estimated at BGN 1.2 million.

The arrests occurred on November 19 in the village of Skutare, where authorities uncovered a warehouse operation involving the loading of a truck with pallets suspected of containing contraband cigarettes. The vehicle was found to be carrying 294,000 packs of two premium tobacco brands, concealed among nearly 300 lawnmowers, Petrov said. The truck was scheduled to return the lawnmowers to their manufacturer, a supplier for a major Bulgarian retail chain.

In an attempt to evade capture, the men fled the scene but were pursued and apprehended in Plovdiv.

The detained individuals aged 35 to 66 all have prior criminal records, though none have been previously convicted. They are currently being held for an initial 72-hour period, while prosecutors decide whether to request their permanent detention. If convicted, the suspects face prison sentences ranging from two to eight years.

Law enforcement has initiated active measures, including interrogations and searches, to gather additional evidence related to the case.